Super Bowl XLIX: Special Teams

All week we discussed the offense and defense of the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks. Today, I will highlight some of the special men on special teams for both teams. (Go back to “special men will make or break you” to review why they are so special.) The Patriots special teams did well all season. They are ranked third in the NFL. Their kicker, Stephen Gostkowski, led the league in points. However, in the NFC Championship game, Seattle showed that their special teams unit is quite clever and prepared. They pulled off a fake field goal pass for a touchdown and an onside kick that kept them alive for the NFC title. Special teams is a big reason that the Seahawks are back in the Super Bowl.

Here are the crucial players for both New England and Seattle on special teams.

New England Patriots
Stephen Gostkowski (#3 Kicker) – Only missed two field goals and led the NFL with 156 points.

Ryan Allen (#6 Punter)

Matthew Slater (#18 Kick and Punt Returner) – Pro Bowler.

Danny Amendola (#80 Kick Returner) –

Julian Edelman (11 Kick Returner) – Second in the NFL with 12 yards per punt return. Returned one 84 yards for a touchdown. One of just seven players in NFL history (minimum 75 punt returns) to average over 12 yards per return during his career.

Seattle Seahawks
Steven Hauschka (#4 Kicker)

Jon Ryan (#9 Punter)

Doug Baldwin (#89 Kick Returner) – Made a crucial catch in overtime of the NFC title game. Starting wide receiver. Filling in on special teams because Paul Richardson is out.

Bryan Walters (#19 Kick and Punt Returner)

This concludes my Super Bowl prep. You have some key information for both teams. Visit these posts to refresh:

Shavannia is the founder of Heels & Helmets and editor of its e-magazine, heelsandhelmets.com. She also writes the football column, Gridiron, for the e-magazine. A sports marketing professional with over 13 years of experience, Ms. Williams has worked with the NBA, NCAA, NFL, NHL, and WNBA. As the owner of a marketing firm, Shavannia’s client roster includes: DC Women’s Business Center, NFL Players and United Way NFL Partnership. Her love for football began at The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, where she worked for Michigan Football and received her B.A. in Sport Management and Communication. She is excited to bring talented women together to provide a resource to help other ladies “join the conversation at the office” and enhance their business relationships. Follow her on twitter @MzGridiron.